Winnipeg | 291 Bannatyne Ave | Maws Garage & Sanford Building | In Development

[bomberjet]

So based on 'heritage' status, what would be the alternate? Leave them as single story buildings. One of which is literally already a garage that looks like a dump?

New building fills in the street with CRU's, lots of units and has a neat parking system as well.

[bomberjet]

What's the thought on the old westcoast building across the street half painted in grey?

[neutroniks]

Originally Posted by bomberjet

So based on 'heritage' status, what would be the alternate? Leave them as single story buildings. One of which is literally already a garage that looks like a dump?

New building fills in the street with CRU's, lots of units and has a neat parking system as well.

It doesn't just look like a dump; it smells like one

[peg]

Originally Posted by bomberjet

What's the thought on the old westcoast building across the street half painted in grey?

I have always hated this paint job especially. The red brick above looks so handsome.

[Wpg_Guy]

Neighbours concerned by redevelopment plan for Exchange District building
By Michelle Gerwing
Published: April 24, 2025

A building in Winnipeg’s Exchange District may soon be transformed into apartments and updated retail space.

The plan for the old Sanford Building and Maw’s Garage, located at 291 Bannatyne Avenue, is still in the early stages. However, neighbours are voicing concerns about the redevelopment plan, saying it doesn’t fit with the area’s historic feel.

“Putting a 10-storey building on a one-storey heritage building is not only hiding the heritage building but destroying it,” said Exchange District resident John Giavedoni.


Preliminary concept drawings in a heritage permit application to the city show a nine-storey, 114 residential unit addition to the property.

Earlier this month, it was approved by the planning, property and development department -- despite the city’s historical buildings and resources committee recommending against the project.

The City of Winnipeg confirmed they approved the permit and that they don’t always take the committee’s advice.

Developer Ryan Ridge with Ridgix Building Solutions Inc. said he wants the project to be something the area embraces.


“I want to develop and make Winnipeg an even better place than what I am already proud of,” Ridge said.

When it comes to height concerns, Ridge said the proposed building is 109 feet, while it’s neighbour, the Travellers Building, is not much shorter at 93 feet tall.

“The Fairchild, which is the next neighbouring building, is 85 feet, so we’re not towering at all. We are well within scale,” he said.

Adrian Schulz, president of Imperial Properties which is a part owner of the Travellers Building, said his concerns aren’t with the height or design but with the potential impacts to his building’s stone foundation.

“We don’t want to lose 100 years of history to a new development. Whilst we are in full support of such developments, as long as what we have remains protected,” Schulz said.

Giavedoni doesn’t want to kill the project but instead bring it more in-line with the existing buildings

“We would like a look that fits in,” he said.

“Doesn’t have to look old. you can’t make a new building look old but fit in and be complementary to the historic aspect of the area and the way the plans are now.”

Giavedoni said he is coordinating like-minded neighbours to file an appeal, but it will cost each person $955 - and that may be a deterrent.

The city said the design and construction stages will still need to be reviewed and approved.

BellMedia

[WinCitySparky]

Interesting that $1000 appeal fee, makes it less attractive to throw bulk frivolous appeals at every project bitter residents want to oppose.

[bomberjet]

I don't really get the Heritage aspect here. Sure the buildings are slightly old in Winnipeg terms. But come on. The one building is a complete dump. So just because they're Heritage we're destined for status quo? It's been status quo for decades and the place is a dump.

[BAKGUY]

This new building is a great compromise...What exists is low impact, low impression. This elevates the nearby area. I love & appreciate heritage buildings but this is preposterous..Get a life.. A block away, there will be a 16 floor building as well as the 9 floor under construction now, on Marketlands, the former PSB site.

[neutroniks]

What's still heritage of that building though? It's been painted over grey, the original windows have been covered up. The interior has already been gutted and has been operating as a night club for decades. The other end of the Maws garage is literally a shell with a gravel parking lot that looks like it's from a scene in Fight Club.

[ColdRain&Snow]

Originally Posted by WinCitySparky

Interesting that $1000 appeal fee, makes it less attractive to throw bulk frivolous appeals at every project bitter residents want to oppose.

Never heard of a fee to appeal a project before. Maybe they're talking about a court appeal, rather than a municipal appeal?

[tron_javolta]

Originally Posted by ColdRain&Snow

Never heard of a fee to appeal a project before. Maybe they're talking about a court appeal, rather than a municipal appeal?

$955 is the municipal appeal fee for downtown project - it's listed on page 26 of this City document http://legacy.winnipeg.ca/ppd/fees/p...nd-charges.pdf.

This project was appealed http://residentsoftheexchangedistric...gnore-heritage

[EndIt]

I don't understand people's insistence on perfection in the Exchange. Yes the area is of great historical value, but Winnipeg isn't Paris and the Exchange isn't Champs-Elysees. We shouldn't overestimate people's willingness to invest in the area. Shutting down serviceable proposals in the hopes of a possible future masterpiece seems self-defeating, we've seen that landowners are liable to leave lots and properties vacant or in disrepair. It's not going to be a seamless replica of a Chicago style midrise, or an architectural achievement on its own, but there's nothing in this proposal so offensive its outweighs the investment and population gained in the exchange.

I get the push to preserve heritage, but refusing to allow most changes to historical buildings is more likely to turn the area into a dingy, crumbling open-air museum than anything else.

[ColdRain&Snow]

The design looks nice to me. Way better than what's there now. Plus it adds more residents to the Exchange.

[drew]

People have no idea how difficult it can be to get adaptive re-use projects thru all of the checks and balances with various City departments.

There are only a handful of developers that are willing to do the work, and I have been lucky enough to work on a number of the projects that actually get done.

It's not big time big pocket developers doing this work (they won't accept the risks and margins) its the smaller local developers that actually care enough about the City and area that are willing to make it work. Frivolous appeals, unrealistic requirements are all par for the course. Even on this board, there are very vocal opinions - which is fine - but don't have any basis in financial reality.

[trueviking]

Originally Posted by EndIt

I don't understand people's insistence on perfection in the Exchange. .

I disagree...we are so lucky to have a national historic neighbourhood in the centre of our city...it has been the driver of urban renewal for thirty years....it deserves to be treated with care...its not about money...its about trying to do good design.....development being expensive is a crutch...we should all demand better.

[drew]

^ the only issue that Heritage has with this particular project AFAIK is the height (and as we know, that cat is out of the bag based on developments in the East exchange).

That's it. Every other concern they had was addressed, and no existing heritage structures are being removed - only added on to with... wait for it...brick - glorious brick!

There is also main floor commercial space on all fronts. If there was a couple arches thrown in, we would have the Number10 trifecta!

[BAKGUY]

Again, My comment it to the NIMBYS, a block away on the former PSB site, Marketlands, will be a 16 floor tower, so what's the issue here? I hope their appeal is Squashed to smithereens.

[tron_javolta]

It looks like a pretty good project. But I doesn't seem fair to call an appeal that costs almost $1000 frivolous. That's especially because their longest section is on the effect of work on neighbouring buildings. We've lost two old brick buildings to collapses during alterations in the last decade. Care should be applied here. Especially since some of that required work here is just to fit parking inside the old buildings.

[WinCitySparky]

Good points^

[tron_javolta]

Not to mention the only reason there is even the possibility of an appeal here is that they sought a variance. Why not just build a 100 foot tall building like the zoning asks for? The middle of Paris is almost all 5 or 6 storeys, about 60 feet, making it the densest city in Europe. 100 feet seems high enough here. Especially since these are additions to precarious old heritage buildings in a historic district and there's plenty of empty parking lots for even more density.